Raja Ampat

 

The image of a maze of limestone islands topped with greenery and surrounded by turquoise lagoons has captivated westerners since the first sailors set foot on this region in the fifteenth century. The same soft limestone creates a very interesting topography underwater, with caves, canyons, passages and swim-throughs in virtually every dive. Fed by the nutrient-rich tidal currents from the Pacific, the myriad of little islets produce exuberant reefs, with pastel-colored soft corals, gigantic sea fans on many different shades and colors, and countless other forms of sessile life. More of 75% of the world's reef building coral species known to science occur here, and fish life boasts a similar record, with over 1.400 species of fish, from which more than 20 are endemic to the waters of Raja Ampat.

 

 

The Four Kings (or Raja Ampat, as the four islands of Waigeo, Batanta, Salawati and Misool are commonly referred to), are a true diving paradise. With its outstanding landscapes of limestone karst spires, primitive fishing villages, vast expanses of mangroves, and of course birds of Paradise, it is without a shadow of a doubt one of the best diving destinations in the world.